VA gets flexibility to pay doctors and nurses what it takes to keep them
H.R. 9406 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate the cap on the number of waivers to certain pay limitations that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may issue for critical health care personnel of the Department of Veterans Affairs. · Filed by Josh Harder (D-CA) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Jun 23, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill removes a numerical cap on how many times the VA Secretary can waive pay-limitation rules for critical health care workers at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Currently, the law limits the number of such waivers; this bill deletes that limit, allowing the Secretary to issue as many waivers as needed to retain or recruit essential medical staff.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole function is to expand the Secretary of Veterans Affairs' authority to waive pay caps for critical health care workers. It is a straightforward administrative-authority amendment with no hidden mechanisms or riders.
What the text implies
- Removal of the cap may increase VA payroll costs if the Secretary exercises the expanded waiver authority broadly, though the bill does not mandate any specific spending level.
- The change gives the VA Secretary unilateral discretion over pay waivers for critical roles without a numerical safety valve; oversight depends on appropriations and internal VA policy, not statutory limits.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
VA health care personnel (direct wage beneficiaries); Department of Veterans Affairs (operational flexibility)